Category: News

Recently, there has been considerable discussion about the situation of Icelandic farmers, especially sheep farmers, and it was very good, for example. news on RÚV earlier this week. Low product prices and a difficult operating environment mean that many farmers do not make ends meet with the current system in this country.

In this light, it is important to look at what the peasantry itself can do and no less what the Icelandic government can do to ensure that farmers have a better opportunity to conduct their business in a lucrative and sustainable manner. There are various things that can be done that do not have to cost the Icelandic state anything, such as changes in the Icelandic legal and regulatory environment.

Farmers have long called for more liberal rules regarding home slaughter and the processing of valuable products on farms. Domestic slaughter is permitted today, but it is not permitted to sell or distribute products from the animals that have been slaughtered at home. A new concept, micro-slaughter, is home slaughter that is relatively small in scope, but valuable products may be sold and distributed to the public. This will create considerable income opportunities for farmers, not least because tourists who visit Iceland are very interested in buying products directly from farmers. In order for changes in the laws and regulations that allow this to take place, it is very important that a risk assessment is carried out. The consumer should always enjoy the benefit of the doubt, so it is important to get information about the potential dangers involved in allowing micro-slaughter at home on a farm with distribution or sale in mind. In fact, such slaughter is already allowed in Germany, for example, with good results.

Matís has throughout the years supported farmers in farmers' efforts for innovation, and numerous projects have been carried out with financial support from various public funds.

Examples include:

To ensure the quality of the meat:

• Effects of breeding and treatment before and after slaughter on the quality of lamb. In collaboration with LBHÍ; RML and H.Í (and SLU).
• Advice on proper handling from the mountain at the table of consumers to ensure the quality of the meat.

Product development and increased value of mutton:

• Development of raw and fermented sausages from mutton
• Advice for the Sheepmeat Marketing Council
• Product development as part of the innovation of the Nordic bioeconomy
• Approach to the construction of a handicraft slaughterhouse at Seglbúðir

Education and training

The Meat Book - www.kjotbokin.is Matís online education - matis.online/

• Home processing of mutton. The whole package

Seven specific courses:

• Microorganisms in meat
• Slaughter and meat eating
• Sawing, deboning and marinating
• Salting and smoking
• Raw processing and sausage making
• Food packaging labeling and packaging
• Licensing, quality manual, internal control and establishment of companies

Teaching at LBHÍ

• Faculty of Agricultural Sciences - Quality and processing of livestock products
• Farmers' Department - Home processing

To ensure consumer safety

• A study of the levels of polycyclic hydrocarbon compounds (PAHs) in traditional smoked ham

The amount and effect of processing factors on the amount of polycyclic hydrocarbon compounds (PAHs) were studied. The measurement method was changed so that it became more reliable, faster and more efficient. The concentration of benzo [a] pyrene (BaP) and ∑PAH4 in slices of ham was in all cases below the maximum levels in EU Regulation (EU) 835/2011. There was no difference in the concentration of PAHs in ham from meat processing plants and from small producers. The risk of contact with PAHs in ham can be reduced by smoking for a short time, cutting off the surface of the meat before consumption and by filtering the smoke with gauze. The composition of the smoke source and the smoking method had the greatest effect on the variability in the concentration of PAH substances in ham.

The food landscape

Matís is currently working on a project that involves mapping the Icelandic food landscape in a web-based form. This means that a complete list of primary production in Iceland is prepared and will be called Matarlandslagið in Icelandic and EatIceland in English. The register will show the number of primary producers and their distribution around the country graphically on the web and it will be possible to categorize them according to various variables and view further information about each of them. The food landscape web will be up and running soon. 

Designers 'and farmers' dates

The meeting of designers and farmers was an innovative project of the Iceland Academy of the Arts, in collaboration with Matís, where product designers and farmers were brought together with the aim of developing food products of the highest quality.

The research project was based on interdisciplinary collaboration where the design team and the farm work with Matís experts, chefs and Innovit. In the process, a lot of effort is put into creating a strong uniqueness and overall experience for the product.

And more

• Hofsós Food Market - http: //www.matis.is/matis/frettir/baendamarkadurinn-a-hofsosi-lau.-28.-juli-kl.-13-16
• Blockchain with Advania - http://www.matis.is/matis/frettir/vidskipti-med-lambakjot-i-blockchain-taekni
• Micro-slaughter at home on a farm - a forum for conversation between Matís and farmers - http://www.matis.is/matis/frettir/getur-ahaettumat-studlad-ad-beinum-vidskiptum-baenda-med-kjot-og-kjotafurdir
• Collaboration with Beint frá býli for advice - http://www.matis.is/matis/frettir/beint-fra-byli-og-matis-undirrita-samstarfssamning
• And there are countless meetings, lectures and the various courses that Matís has offered over the years.

Related material on agricultural projects prepared in collaboration with Matís

• http://www.matis.is/matis/frettir/heimavinnsla-afurda-orslaturhus
• http://www.matis.is/matis/frettir/hvada-mali-skiptir-heimaslatrun-fyrir-baendur
• http://www.matis.is/matis/frettir/getur-ahaettumat-studlad-ad-beinum-vidskiptum-baenda-med-kjot-og-kjotafurdir-1
• http://www.matis.is/matis/frettir/viltu-kaupa-heimaslatrad
• http://www.matis.is/matis/frettir/fra-fjalli-ad-kjotvinnslu
• http://www.matis.is/matis/frettir/getum-vid-nytt-geitastofninn-betur
• http://www.matis.is/matis/frettir/eru-vannytt-taekifaeri-i-hrossakjotinu
• http://www.matis.is/matis/frettir/nytt-verkefni-hja-matis-thang-sem-fodurbaetir-fyrir-mjolkurkyr
• http://www.matis.is/matis/frettir/eru-kjuklingafjadrir-vannytt-audlind
• http://www.matis.is/matis/frettir/studningur-vid-smaframleidendur-hefur-sjaldan-verid-mikilvaegari
• http://www.matis.is/matis/frettir/ahugaverd-frett-um-vin-ur-mjolk
• http://www.matis.is/matis/frettir/virkilega-ahugaverd-radstefna-um-malefni-landbunadar 

Barley is an ancient grain that is suitable for cultivation in northern areas. Barley offers increased sustainability in agriculture and food production. 

Consumers and not least tourists are looking for local products, origins and history. Food manufacturers are looking for uniqueness, products that stand out from the crowd. Barley can serve this purpose. 

More about barley in northern areas.

Matís is working on the project "Marine processing of cod liver oil". The aim of the project is to examine the feasibility of processing liver in high-quality cod liver oil directly after processing on board.

The advantage of this processing compared to land processing is that the raw material could not be fresher than directly after fishing, as opposed to land processing which more often than not has to work with 3-4 days old raw material. This could also allow freezer and icefish trawlers to get higher prices for the liver. 

The project runs from June to September 2018 and is funded by AVS.

A new article was published in the international scientific journal Icelandic Agricultural Sciences. It states that parasites were confirmed in imported dogs and cats in Iceland in the years 1989 - 2017.

The import ban on dogs was lifted in 1989 and then the import of dogs and cats is allowed if the conditions for health and isolation are met for a certain period. From 1989 until the end of 2017, 3822 dogs and 900 cats were imported to the country.

The animals have come from 67 countries on every continent. A search for parasites revealed one or more species of parasites in 10.6% dogs and 4.2% cats, and pests were found on arrival in the country in 0.2% dogs and 0.2% cats. A total of 18 species of internal parasites and six species of vermin have been found in or on imported pets. It is believed that six of them (nematodes and five species of vermin) have been transmitted to domestic dogs or cats with pets that were still infected when the isolation ended. Two or three of the species seem to have gained a foothold in Iceland, but it is believed that three of them have been eradicated.

There will be a varied selection from Skagafjörður's food box, such as hen eggs, honey, shark, herbs, pesto and freshly grown vegetables as well as all kinds of fish and meat to name a few. 

The farmers' market, which has been in Pakkhúsið in Hofsós this summer, will take place at the big gathering Sveitasælan in the riding hall Svaðastöðum in Skagafjörður from 10–17 on Saturday 18 August.  

The project is a pilot project run by Matís, in collaboration with farmers and producers in Skagafjörður. Sveitasælan is an agricultural exhibition and farmers 'festival, says Rakel Halldórsdóttir, a consultant at Matís who established the farmers' market this summer.

The program will be the most impressive and everyone should find something suitable. These include the zoo, the theater group Lotta, Gunna and Felix, the Puppy Squad, hot dogs, a shepherd dog show, a calf show, a ram show / ram show, and a machine and company show, not to mention the Farmers' Market which has attracted attention in many places.           

The restaurant will be run by the Kiwanis Club Freyja, but all proceeds will go to good causes in the local area.

Everyone is welcome and admission is free!

The project Metamorphosis is nominated for the EIT Innovators Awards 2018

Recently, EIT (The European Institute and Innovation and Technology) the projects and individuals who were nominated for the EIT Award this year. It focuses on projects that promote innovation with innovative products, projects and services that address international challenges such as climate, energy, food and health. This year's nominations include the Metamorphosis project led by Birgir Örn Smárason at Matís.

The Metamorphosis project is working to turn organic waste into valuable raw materials for use in aquaculture feed. Lack of protein-rich feed has called for new solutions to meet growing industry demand. More than half of all fish species are now farmed and it is likely that production will double in the next 15 years. Studies have shown that insects are very suitable in the production of feed for fish, but many species of insects have the property of being able to convert organic waste into a diet rich in fat and protein. The project focuses on the development of new feed materials made from insects that could be used to respond to the growing protein deficiency in Europe in a sustainable way.

The award ceremony will take place in Budapest on the fourth of October at the EIT's annual Entrepreneurship Seminar, INNOVEIT . There are a total of 41 nominations and they consist of the main pioneers and pioneers in Europe in sustainable development.

Here is a list of all the nominations this year.

Changes in the new volcano have not been studied anywhere else in the world but on Surtsey. Matís' participation in the collaboration revolves around research into the settlement of organisms, especially microorganisms.

Matís' scientists were among a group of scientists who went on the second of two expeditions to Surtsey in the summer of 2018, and the results are now being processed, but the data will be used for various studies.

The expedition examined, among other things, how a microbial community is formed and develops in the rock far below the earth's surface at high temperatures, up to 80 degrees.

This time, scientists left Institute of Natural History, Agricultural University , Institute of Earth Sciences, Matís and ÍSOR as well as master's and doctoral students, two foreign scientists and photographers.

The Surtsey Nature Reserve was approved by the United Nations World Heritage List in 2008. Great care is taken not to disturb the Surtsey ecosystem during the research. All parties involved in the project have been given detailed instructions regarding the preparation and the conditions there to ensure a minimum of disruption on the eve of being allowed to land on Surtsey.

A three-year Nordic project on bioactive seaweed, funded by Nordic Innovation, is currently being completed. The project (Seaweed bioactive ingredients with verified in-vivo bioactivities) was managed by Matís and carried out in collaboration with the research institute VTT in Finland, the University of Iceland, Kristianstad University and the companies Marinox (producer of seaweed extract), FinnSnack (producer of rye products), Pharmia ( development and production of food supplements) and UNA skincare (manufacturer of skin care products).

Prior to the project, Marinox had developed new methods for producing seaweed extracts (Fucus vesiculosus), with high bioactivity according to test tubes (in vitro). This created opportunities in the food and cosmetics industry, but first the bioactivity had to be confirmed by further testing, ie whether the seaweed extract had a measurable effect on human health. The project therefore focused on researching the effects of ingesting seaweed extract and using lotions containing seaweed extract. Products containing seaweed extract were developed and tested within the project, and consumers' responses to seaweed extract and its use as food supplements and as ingredients in food were studied.  

The results of the tests showed a positive effect of using the seaweed extract and overall it can be said that the seaweed extract has good potential as a dietary supplement, as an ingredient in foods and lotions. A market research carried out within the project also provided further insight into market development and market opportunities for seaweed, and which, together with other results of the project, will support the companies within the project in their next steps.

It is important that new knowledge is applied so that value and efficiency can be increased. Following extensive research and development work, it is important to review the issues that stand out and work on the implementation of new knowledge in the procedures of companies as well as other stakeholders, this applies to the fishing industry as well as other aspects of the economy. In this spirit, sustainability, utilization, innovation in fisheries management and the social and economic impact of the fisheries sector were discussed in the light of ongoing research and development projects supported by the European Research Programs.

Over the years, Europe's Framework Programs for Research and Innovation funded a number of research projects focusing specifically on fisheries and fisheries management in the field of fisheries (fisheries topics). On 23 March, the projects covered by the Seventh Framework Program (FP7) and Horizon 2020 (H2020) were invited to a workshop in Brussels, where the aim was to present the projects to the various units of the European Union's research and innovation system. and discuss the priorities of such projects in the future. Managers from EMFF (European Maritime and Fisheries Fund) also presented the projects that the fund has supported in recent years.

A total of 14 FP7 and H2020 projects were invited to the meeting, ie. EcoKnows, EcoFishMan, FACTS, My Fish, BENTHIS, MareFrame, DiscardLess, MINOUW, ClimeFish, CERES, FarFish, SmartFish, SYMBIOSIS and SAF21. Matís' activity in this field has attracted attention in many places. Matís manages three of these projects (EcoFishMan, MareFrame and FarFish) and is one of the key participants in three others (DiscardLess, ClimeFish and SAF21). On behalf of Matís, Anna Kristín Daníelsdóttir, Oddur Már Gunnarsson and Jónas R. Viðarsson attended the meeting.

That presentations After the discussion, the meeting guests were divided into four working groups where specific research emphases were discussed, the main challenges and opportunities, as well as advice on what kind of research and innovation projects should be strengthened in the near future. The four groups discussed zero waste, the social and economic aspects of fisheries, innovation in fisheries management and sustainable fisheries. Jónas R. Viðarsson at Matís had the honor of leading the group that discussed full utilization in the fisheries sector.

For more information Jónas R. Viðarsson  jonas@matis.is and Anna K. Daníelsdóttir  annak@matis.is

In the spirit of the general policy of the Minister for the Environment and Natural Resources on waste prevention, Together against waste, the government's charter and the Nordic environment minister's plan to reduce the environmental impact of plastics, a consultative forum on a plastic action plan was set up last July.

Hrönn Jörundsdóttir, Head of Measurement Services and Research Infrastructure at Matís composed following the nomination of Matís to the consultation forum together with the nominated representatives of numerous stakeholders. The role of the forum is to come up with proposals on how to reduce the use of plastic, how to improve its recycling and how to deal with plastic pollution in the sea. The Consultative Forum should also make recommendations on what kind of research and what monitoring needs to be undertaken, regarding plastics and their use, as well as make suggestions regarding government actions that might be desirable. In addition, the consultation forum is intended to focus on how to promote innovation that can lead to less plastic use, such as the development of products that could replace known plastic products today.

In this context, it is worth mentioning that the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources has requests for comments on a proposal for an annex to the general policy on waste prevention, Together against waste. The annex includes measurable annual targets for the maximum amount of plastic packaging per capita, the number of carrier plastic bags per capita, the number of beverage packaging per capita and the waste ratio for fish and meat processing.

Hrönn has a doctorate in environmental chemistry and has worked on and led research on undesirable substances in the environment and food. Hrönn directs Matís' reference laboratory and is an expert in risk assessment regarding chemical pollution in food, and Hrönn will contribute his expertise in environmental issues and research on plastics in the environment as well as risk assessment into the work of the consultation forum, which is scheduled to end before 1 November 2018.